TEAKETTLE, Cayo District–A little more than 15 hours after the New Year began, the first murder of the year occurred.

Yaima Duany Ledesma, 30, a Cuban worker at Dream Valley Resort Restaurant and Bar situated about two miles into the Young Gyal Road, off the George Price Highway, was shot and killed in the establishment where she worked by one of two men.

Amandala was informed that at about 3:30 p.m. New Year’s Day, two men went into the establishment and ordered drinks, after which they asked to see Ledesma, and when she came to see what they wanted, one of the men took out a pistol from the waist of his pants and shot her as she came towards their table.

Ledesma was hit in the chest and stomach, and fell to the ground.

The two killers quickly ran out of the bar and sprinted towards a getaway car that was parked, waiting for them. The car then sped away with them.

Ledesma was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan by some workers, but she was declared dead on arrival.

Reports are that at the time of the shooting, about twenty tourists were present in the establishment among other patrons.

Superintendent Howell Gillett, Commander of Belmopan police, said that five rounds were fired, and Ledesma was hit twice.

The evidence they’ve gathered revealed that Ledesma was the intended target, because the two men asked specifically for her.

The commander said that their investigation revealed that Ledesma had been threatened verbally, but it was never reported to the police.

Superintendent Gillett said that they believe that it was a possessive relationship that led to the murder. Ledesma had no children and had been managing the resort for two years.